


Image Envy

by purplefox



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Idols, Gen, Idol AU, Idols, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-31 19:43:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20120629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplefox/pseuds/purplefox
Summary: Futaba is tired of the image the agency gave her, they were supposed to grow as idols so why is she still the baby of the group in everything?





	Image Envy

Jealous was bad and envy was understandable. Futaba had ended up here and she was happy to be here but she was tired. Before she could not understand how hard it had to be on Ann but now she understood. She envied her so much. Ann had broke out and had gotten away.

The scandal had rocked their world but honestly, that was a good thing. Their group had grown and thanks to the attention they had all landed gigs. They had all grown and changed except for her. The curse that she hated.

She did not want to everything Ann did, Futaba was not that brave but she had to say she envied her. Just watching her recent collaboration with Akira made Futaba want to sigh. Before had been the daring photo shoot with Yusuke and that had been-

She had always been the cute type. It was easy to market her as adorable. Quirky and cute had been the tags slung her way and she had done her best to work with it but now those labels chafted. They were annoying.

Ann was different now. She could sing naughty things bold things and she could hold her own. People these days forgot that she even used to be with them. Talk about breakout.

Futaba did not want to leave exactly but she did want to be seen differently that was all she was asking for but their label never pushed for that. She was pushed to the back and the adorable type. She liked to sing and she was creative. She worked on the sets and her numbers.

She had worked had to be here and she wanted to stay here but she was tired of the box she was in. Ann looked so happy. Futaba leaned on her desk as she watched Ann’s video with Akira. The original single had done well. Akira was that good but the remix with Ann. Her verse and now their video. They were both doing well.

The look she sported with Akira. it was something others would have expected if she had partnered with Ryuji. Shiny, loud. Caps with sparkles. See through and tight clothes. The close-up camera angles had to be Akira’s work.

The way she sat in Akira’s lap. It was like saying as she delivered her lines that she was Akira’s woman. Talking to the camera. Showing off, dramatic, showing off. Nothing childish there. She was in all forms a woman, from her lines to her actions.

Akira’s arm around her when they lay back in one cut. The way he moved in tune with her. His hand on her waist. Subtle things.

Not they were like that. Akira had someone closer to him but his friendship with Ann went way back. Something that made their contact in videos easier. They had good chemistry. When writing together, acting together or just being near to each other.

Futaba envied them. She felt so lonely, this box their label had them in. their agency kept limiting her. The little sister precious sweet girl, that worked when she was a kid but not now. It was so constricting.

X

“I expected to hear this from you long before this.” Ryuji snorted as he looked up from where he sat in the production booth. Futaba had snuck out to see Ann but had missed her by an hour. “Like right around the time Ann left I said… Futaba’s gonna explode under that pressure.”

“It only got bad recently.” The beat coming the speakers was familiar. “Akira’s single?” She questioned. “It’s nice.”

“Yeah when Ann heard it she wanted to jump on it. It’s a good way to push the new fashion line too.” Ryuji murmured as he nodded with the beat. “Made it for Akira, the new album drops in a few more weeks. Already his single and Yusuke’s are doing good.”

“I know.” Futaba groaned. “I can’t write, there are so many coming up right now. I can’t with this- so many thing I want to write but it won’t pass management.”

“Depends what you want to sing about.” Ryuji laughed. “I think your hardcore fans would faint if they paid for a CD and heard you singing what you did on dick the other day. Fans would faint all over the country.”

“You know very well I wouldn’t do that.” Futaba sent her pencil across the studio. “Don’t be an idiot. I just want a different persona to sing and create for. I’m not an idiot you know? I can do shit on my own. I’m not a ditz!”

“Yeah. Ann had that problem too.” Ryuji snickered. “But you got it worse. They overdid it with you. You graduated and know more than the average fan but sure, let you keep singing about you need someone to save you from the darkness.” He shook his head. “You stood up for yourself a long time ago Futaba.”

“So it’s not just me that thinks I need an image change. One that doesn’t come with a huge scandal with me- I don’t even know. getting caught dating some wild guy or some politician.”

Ryuji choked on his drink and the music skipped a beat. “Please don’t.” Ryuji coughed. “Maybe talk to your group leader about songs that stand on your own? Be caught by the papers going shopping or reading intelligent stuff? Hell you could sing about that streak you had the other night. Totally-“

“Are you still holding that over me?” Futaba had to laugh. “Noobs stay offline when real arrives. Peasants shouldn’t Ryuji.”

“Who is a peasant.” Ryuji growled before he laughed. “Ann would tell you herself if she was here. It’s not quick and easy but it is a slow shift. You have to break the image and mould but you have to build another one at the same time.”

“I don’t know what I want it to be.” Futaba groaned. “I just know that I don’t want it to be this. I’m a whole adult. This needs to stop.”

“Talk to Ann and Akira. We could do something.” Ryuji mused. “But for the time being. What you think about this mix?” Futaba found herself being entranced but the beat that came over the speakers.

X

“So what kind of artist you want to be from here? What do you want to share with the public?” Ann’s shades were bedazzled and low on her face as she drank her milkshake. “It’s not always about being true to self or even about being aggressive. You’re going to lose fans Futaba.”

“I’m prepared to lose fans.” Futaba snorted. “I’m ready for that because if there were just in for the little me that needs protecting and what I can bring? They aren’t my real fans.”

“Correct answer.” Ann laughed softly. “So what do you want to Futaba? You can shift focus. Instead being the sister doll, puppet of the industry. You can be the Cyber babe.” She laughed. “Not ready for that?” She asked as she tilted her chair back. “That’s more my thing. “Cyber… hmm this is hard. Maybe something that isn’t going to get the really scary ones panting right away.”

“I’ll think on the name and the persona but how exactly am I going to slide this past management? How do I get them to see it?” Futaba groaned. “Come on Ann. I love what we do, it’s fun but I feel so limited.”

“I felt as thought I couldn’t get any light. I fought and fought and got nothing.” Ann shrugged. “I felt robbed and I wanted to fight. I poured that into my songs, little verses little things. A bit of sass a bit of sass. It caught attention and then by the time I broke my contract? People knew what Ann was really about. You could start slow. Tease it then work it up so it’s a boulder rolling down a hill that management will never catch back.”

“And you say you don’t hold a grudge.” Futaba shook her head before she tilted her head. “I want to have fun Ann.”

“I know.” Her eyes darted to the edge of their booth. “I wanted to have fun too. going to record or making my own set. Having control over what I create? It’s beautiful. If they would understand this, they would have less happy artists.”

“We’re supposed to grow.” Futaba murmured. “That’s what’s so annoying about this. We fight so hard and they won’t let us grow! Like they try to keep us in this box for the fans but the fans will come with us. Look at Akira.”

“Ryuji went from black hair to blonde.” Ann teased her own blonde hair before she laughed. “He’s still the top. No one can touch him when it comes to his brutal honesty.”

“Except maybe you.” Futaba watched Ann for a few moments. “He’s really cool with a lot of things. And helpful. You think when the time comes he’ll stay in the industry somehow?”

“Who knows? We just hit our twenties how can you really know.” Ann sighed. “But making music for himself and others? That’s Ryuji and structuring a set, helping create a dance routine. Telling a story or getting to the heart of matters? That’s Ryuji for you. I just know that until Akira goes, Yusuke and Ryuji will stay. No matter what anyone else wants.”

“It feels so too.” Futaba slumped on the table with a groan. “I have an interview today and you wouldn’t believe what they want me to wear. I’m sick of this baby shit Ann.”

“Well… I might have an idea.” Ann laughed softly. “But hold on for a little longer okay Futaba?”

X

“Way way way! Too sexy for me.” Futaba declared the moment she heard the track. She did not even need to hear Akira or even Ryuji jump on the rest of it. “Ann is half of that even possible?”

“Ask Ryuji.” Ann spun in her chair as she laughed. “Okay so not that track. How about a new sound then? Guest artist, Futaba the computer?”

“Futaba the machine. The system’s system.” Yusuke handed her the instant yakisoba he had left for. “I told you when you were recording that this does not suit Futaba’s current image. Akira’s and Ryuji’s yes. Anyone else and it would fall flat or cause chaos.”

“Flat is what we’re trying to avoid.” Akira snickered as he took a seat next to Ann. “But I’m hoping on this Ann. I have like four bite puns I want to use.”

“Only four?” Ryuji shook his head. “It’s a playful track. The beat, even Ann is playful. You need something a little harder. Maybe blend it with-“ He was already up and gone towards where he had left his equipment.

“So while Ryuji finds that.” Akira leaned forward. “Glad to see you’re looking better. That time I saw you, you looked like you were going to beat the interviewer with those cat paws.”

“It was a close thing.” Futaba sighed. “Thanks you guys. But what’s Ryuji going to do- will this affect your images?”

“A new turn keeps my fans excited.” Ann snorted. “Ryuji’s going to pick something a little weird and quirky is my best bet. Something that feels-“

“Ironic, nostalgic. Perfect for someone breaking out the baby sister role. A coming to age song is what we need.” Ryuji was back a wide grin on his face. “Are we ready? Because this one is going to be good.” He gloated. “I was wondering how to tweak it for Yusuke since the last one worked so well. This will be merge with the machine. Futaba’s verse, well it’s up to you what you do.”

“Just make it as weird but relatable as possible. All the people you headshot. The innocent people that just wanted to play a game with their best friend when she was finally online-“

“Or talk about how torturing friends with demon video games is fun. Multiplayer games are the devil.” Ann cut in with a snort.”

“You guys need to let that go.” Futaba laughed before Ryuji handed her headphones. “Relatable? Quirky? Like that wasn’t my selling point before she snorted. Then she started to listen and her heart skipped before it began to pound. “I get it.” She whispered. She could see it all, her fans were not going to be prepared. It was coming at her fast.

**Author's Note:**

> Just an idea i wanted to play with


End file.
